Semiconductor device with both I/O and core components and method of fabricating same

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor device having a core device with a high-k gate dielectric and an I/O device with a silicon dioxide or other non-high-k gate dielectric, and a method of fabricating such a device. A core well and an I/O well are created in a semiconductor substrate and separated by an isolation structure. An I/O device is formed over the I/O well and has a silicon dioxide or a low-k gate dielectric. A resistor may be formed on an isolation structure adjacent to the core well. A core-well device such as a transistor is formed over the core well, and has a high-k gate dielectric. In some embodiments, a p-type I/O well and an n-type I/O well are created. In a preferred embodiment, the I/O device or devices are formed prior to forming the core device and protected with a sacrificial layer until the core device is fabricated.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/766,425, entitled “Semiconductor Device with both I/O and CoreComponents and Method of Fabricating Same,” filed Jun. 21, 2007, whichapplication is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of fabricatingsemiconductor devices, and relates more particularly to the fabricationof a reliable semiconductor device that included an I/O (input/output)device and a core device, and a method for fabricating such a device.

BACKGROUND

Generally, semiconductor devices are very small electronic componentsthat are fabricated on a semiconductor wafer substrate. Using a varietyof fabrication techniques, these devices are made and connected togetherto form integrated circuits. A number of integrated circuits may befound on one chip, and are capable of performing a set of usefulfunctions in the operation of an electronic appliance. Examples of suchelectronic appliances are mobile telephones, personal computers, andpersonal gaming devices. As the size of these popular devices wouldimply, the components formed on a chip are extremely small.

There are many kinds of semiconductor components. Transistors, forexample, are small switches that may be used to manipulate electricalsignals. Diodes perform a similar though not identical function.Resistors and capacitors may also be formed as semiconductor devices.Over a million of such components may be formed on a single chip, andconnected together to form the integrated circuits.

These semiconductor devices are fabricated on the wafer substrate usinga sequence of operations. Generally speaking, ion implantation is usedto impart semiconductor characteristics to the substrate or tostructures formed on it. Layers of insulating and conducting materialare then selectively added and removed to create the parts of eachindividual component. One common fabrication technique, for example, iscalled photolithography. In photolithography, a material calledphotoresist is formed on top of one or more layers of underlyingmaterial. The photoresist is then selectively exposed to light through ascreen known as a mask. The exposed portions will possess differentphysical properties than the unexposed portions and, depending on thetype of photoresist used, one of them may be removed by a selectedsolvent, leaving a set of protective structures.

Once the protective structures are in place, the unprotected portions ofthe underlying layers can be reduced or removed completely, for exampleby etching. They may also be subjected to treatments such as ionimplantation. In any case, once the selective treatment or removal hasbeen accomplished, the remaining photoresist structures may be removedwithout harming the underlying materials by a solvent selected for thispurpose. An exemplary transistor will now be described as background tothe present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a side (elevation) view illustrating in cross-section atypical semiconductor device 10. Semiconductor device 10 is atransistor, which includes a gate structure 12 that has been formed on asubstrate 20. Gate structure 12 includes a gate electrode 14 that isseparated from the substrate 20 by a gate oxide 13. Gate electrode 14may be made, for example, of a metal or a crystalline polysilicon(“poly”). The gate oxide 13 may simply be a portion of a siliconsubstrate 20 that has been encouraged to oxidize. A metal contact 15 maybe used in the case of a poly gate to provide a reliable area forterminating external electrical conductors (not shown). A spacer may bepositioned on either side of the gate electrode 14, and in this examplespacer 16 and spacer 17 serve this function. A source region 21 and adrain region 23 are formed in the substrate 20, typically by ionimplantation, and define a channel 22 between them and beneath gatestructure 12. In operation, a current may be made to flow throughchannel 22 when a certain voltage is applied to the gate electrode 14.

At times, semiconductor devices such as the transistor of FIG. 1 may beused for different but complementary functions. One example is where twotransistors are used, one as a core device and one as an I/O(input/output) device. FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating incross-section a typical semiconductor device 30 of this kind. Insemiconductor device 30, a core well 18 and an I/O well 19 have beenformed adjacent each other, and are separated by STI (shallow trenchisolation) structure 26 (also visible in FIG. 1). Core well 18 and I/Owell 19 have been formed separately in substrate 20 by separate ionimplantations in such a way as to give each its desired properties. Thetransistor of FIG. 1 is formed, in semiconductor device 30, on core well18.

A second transistor, I/O device 40, has been formed on I/O well 19. I/Odevice 40 has a gate structure 45 that includes a gate electrode 34,which is separated from I/O well 19 by a gate dielectric 33. Contact 35is disposed directly on gate electrode 34. Side spacers 36 and 37 aredisposed on either side of gate structure 45. Source region 41 and drainregion 43 define channel 42 in the I/O well 19 portion of substrate 20,under gate structure 45.

As should be apparent, the component parts of semiconductor device 10and I/O device 40 are similar. There are differences, however, thataffect the fabrication of such devices on the same wafer. The coredevice in some applications performs better when it has a thinner gateoxide than benefits the I/O device. The I/O device, on the other hand,may have to handle a higher voltage, however, so it cannot always befabricated to the specifications best suited for the core device.

Needed, then, is a way to fabricate reliable semiconductor devices in anefficient manner despite their different performance criteria. Thepresent invention provides just such a solution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other problems are generally solved or circumvented, andtechnical advantages are generally achieved, by preferred embodiments ofthe present invention, which is directed to a semiconductor devicehaving a core component and an I/O (input/output) component, and to amethod for fabricating such a device.

In one aspect, the present invention is a semiconductor device includinga core device that has a high-k gate dielectric disposed over astrained-silicon channel region and an I/O (input/output) device,wherein the I/O device does not include a high-k gate dielectric. Thehigh-k gate dielectric preferably has a dielectric constant greater thanabout 8. The components are, for example MOSFETs (metal oxidesemiconductor field effect transistors), though they may have eithermetal, poly (polycrystalline silicon), or silicide gate electrodes. Thesemiconductor device may further include a resistor. Thestrained-silicon channel region in a preferred embodiment is formed byin-situ epitaxial growth of silicon over silicon-germanium in a recessadjacent the core device gate structure.

According to another aspect, the present invention is a semiconductordevice including a first component having a high-k gate dielectric andbeing disposed over a strained-silicon channel region including silicongermanium, the device also having a second component that does notinclude a high-k dielectric. The first component of this semiconductordevice may, for example, be a transistor having a source region and adrain region, where the source region and the drain region each havingan upper boundary that extends above the high-k gate dielectric. Thefirst component may also include a metal gate electrode disposed overthe high-k gate dielectric. The second component of this semiconductordevice may include, for example, a silicon dioxide gate dielectric.

In yet another aspect, the present invention is a method including theoperations of forming at least one isolation structure in a substrate,forming a core well and an I/O well separated by the at least oneisolation structure, forming a oxide layer on the I/O well, forming apoly layer on the I/O well oxide layer, forming an I/O device gatestructure from the poly layer and the oxide layer, forming an LDD in theI/O well, forming dummy spacers to protect the I/O device, defining acore device channel, adjusting the V_(t) (threshold voltage) of the coredevice channel by ion implantation, performing an RTA, forming a coredevice high-k gate dielectric, forming a core device gate electrode,forming a core device source region and a core device drain region,removing the dummy spacers, forming spacers for the core device and theI/O device, and forming the source regions and the drain regions by ionimplantation.

According to another aspect, the present invention is a method offabricating a semiconductor device including forming a core well and anI/O well in a substrate, the core well and the I/O well separated by anisolation structure. An ion implantation may, in some cases, beperformed into the core well for V_(t) (threshold voltage) adjustment.The method according to this aspect also includes forming an I/O-devicegate structure on the I/O well; the I/O-device gate structure comprisingan electrode disposed above a dielectric, the I/O device dielectric, forexample, is formed of silicon dioxide and has a dielectric constant ofless than about 5. This method may also include forming astrained-silicon channel in the core well, and forming a core-devicegate structure on the core well, the core-device gate structure includesan electrode disposed above a dielectric, the core-device dielectrichaving a dielectric constant of greater than about 8. In one embodiment,forming the strained-silicon channel includes forming a channel recessin the core well, forming a silicon-germanium layer in the channelrecess by epitaxial growth, and forming a silicon layer by epitaxialgrowth.

This method may also include performing an LDD ion implantation into theI/O well, and annealing the semiconductor device subsequent to the LDDion implantation. For example, where the semiconductor device comprisesan n-type I/O well and a p-type I/O well, the LDD ion implantationcomprises a p-type LDD ion implantation and an n-type LDD ionimplantation. After I/O poly gate and poly resistors were defined, adummy spacer to separate the I/O device and the core device with high-kdevice process. The dummy spacer may be removed later. This method mayalso include forming a resistor disposed on an isolation structureadjacent to the core well, and forming a nitride layer over theI/O-device gate structure and the resister prior to forming thestrained-silicon channel for the core device. The method may alsoinclude forming a strained-silicon source region and a strained-silicondrain region for the core device, for example by forming source anddrain region recesses in the core well adjacent the core-device gatestructure, forming a silicon-germanium layer in the source region recessand in the drain region recess by epitaxial growth, and forming asilicon-carbon layer over the silicon-germanium layers by epitaxialgrowth.

In yet another aspect, the present invention is a method of fabricatinga semiconductor device on a substrate including providing asemiconductor substrate, forming at least one isolation structure in thesubstrate, forming a core well and an I/O well separated by the at leastone isolation structure, forming a oxide layer on the I/O well, forminga poly layer on the I/O well oxide layer, forming an I/O device gatestructure from the poly layer and the oxide layer, forming an LDD in theI/O well, forming dummy spacers to protect the I/O device, defining acore device channel, adjusting the V_(t) of the core device channel byion implantation, performing an RTA, forming a core device high-k gatedielectric, forming a core device gate electrode, forming a core devicesource region and a core device drain region, removing the dummyspacers, forming spacers for the core device and the I/O device, andforming the source regions and the drain regions by ion implantation.

In accordance with another aspect, a method of fabricating asemiconductor device, comprises forming a core well in a core region ofa substrate and an I/O well in an I/O region of the substrate, the corewell and the I/O well separated by an isolation structure. An I/O-devicegate structure is formed on the I/O well, the I/O-device gate structurecomprising an I/O electrode disposed above an I/O dielectric, whereinthe I/O dielectric does not include a high-k dielectric material. Astrained-silicon channel is formed in the core region, wherein thestrained-silicon channel comprises a silicon layer disposed on a silicongermanium layer, the silicon germanium layer disposed between thesilicon layer and the substrate. A core-device gate structure is formedover the strained-silicon channel the core well, the core-device gatestructure comprising a core electrode disposed above a core dielectric,the core-device gate structure comprising a high-k dielectric material.A source region and a drain region are formed adjacent to thecore-device gate structure and outside of the silicon germanium layer.

In accordance with another aspect, a method of manufacturing asemiconductor device comprises forming a core region and an I/O regionin a substrate and forming an I/O device in the I/O region, the I/Odevice comprising an I/O gate electrode overlying an I/O gatedielectric, the I/O gate dielectric comprising at least one low-kmaterial. A core device is formed in the core region, the forming thecore device further comprising forming a strained-silicon channelregion, wherein the strained-silicon channel region comprises amulti-layer stack filling a recess disposed within the core region,wherein the multi-layer stack comprises a silicon layer disposed on asilicon germanium layer, the silicon germanium layer being disposed onthe substrate; forming a core gate dielectric overlying the strainedsilicon channel region; forming a core gate electrode overlying the coregate dielectric; and forming a source region and a drain region formedoutside of the strained-silicon channel region and formed on oppositesides of the core gate dielectric.

In accordance with yet another aspect, a method of fabricating asemiconductor device on a substrate comprises forming a core well and anI/O well separated by at least one isolation structure, forming an I/Odevice gate structure in the I/O well, forming an LDD in the I/O welland forming dummy spacers to protect the I/O device. A core devicechannel is defined, wherein the core device channel comprises a siliconlayer over a silicon germanium layer, the silicon germanium layerdisposed between the silicon layer and the substrate. A core devicehigh-k gate dielectric is formed and a core device gate electrode isformed. A core device source region and a core device drain region areformed, the core device source region and the core device drain regionlocated outside of the core device channel. The dummy spacers areremoved, and spacers for the core device and the I/O device are formed.

Advantages of the present invention include an I/O device that retainsdesirable properties without the need to alter the high-k process usedin forming the core device; the I/O device may be formed without ahigh-k dielectric layer while the core device may use a high-kdielectric with either a poly or a metal gate. In preferred embodimentsof the present invention, an addition mask for I/O device integration isunnecessary and ion implantation through oxide for the I/O device may beavoided.

A more complete appreciation of the present invention and the scopethereof can be obtained from the accompanying drawings that are brieflysummarized below, the following detailed description of thepresently-preferred embodiments of the present invention, and theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and theadvantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptionstaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side (elevation) view illustrating in cross-section atypical transistor.

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating in cross-section a typicalsemiconductor device.

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating in cross-section a semiconductordevice according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 5 a through 5 g are a sequence of side views illustrating incross-section the configuration of a semiconductor device at variousselected stages of fabrication.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The making and using of the presently preferred embodiments arediscussed in detail below. It should be appreciated, however, that thepresent invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that canbe embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specificembodiments discussed are merely illustrative of specific ways to makeand use the invention, and do not limit the scope of the invention.

The present invention will be described with respect to preferredembodiments in a specific context, namely a semiconductor device havinga resistor, and having a core device and an I/O device that are both MOS(metal oxide semiconductor) transistors. The invention may also beapplied, however, to other semiconductor devices as well.

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating in cross-section a semiconductordevice 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.Semiconductor device 100 includes a substrate 101 having a core well 102and an I/O well 103 separated by an isolation structure 105. Each of thewells is also bounded by a respective isolation structure 104 and 106 toisolate it from adjacent portions of the device (not shown). An I/Odevice 110 is formed on the I/O well 103, and includes a gate structure112. The gate structure 112 includes a gate electrode 114, for exampleof poly, separated from the substrate by a gate oxide 113. The gateoxide 113 is preferably silicon dioxide formed by oxidation of thesubstrate surface, and has a dielectric constant of about 4. Spacers 115and 116 are positioned of either side of the gate structure 112. Asource region 117 and a drain region 119 are formed in the substrate oneither of the gate structure 112, defining a channel 118.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, a core device 120 is formed on the corewell 102. The core device 120 includes a gate structure 122. A sourceregion 127 and a drain region 129 are formed in the substrate on eitherside of the gate structure. In one preferred embodiment, the sourceregion and the drain region both exhibit a raised profile, as shown inFIG. 3. That is, the upper boundary of the source region 127 and theupper boundary of the drain region 129 are both higher at some pointthan the lower boundary of the gate structure. In addition, in apreferred embodiment, the source region 127 and the drain region 129comprise a silicon-germanium portion and a silicon-carbon portion (notseparately shown in FIG. 3), formed for example by filling a recess inthe substrate by epitaxial growth. Similarly, channel 128 between sourceregion 127 and drain region 129 includes a (strained) silicon layerdisposed on a silicon-germanium layer.

The gate structure 122 includes a gate electrode 124 separated from thecore well 102 of substrate 101 by a gate dielectric 123. According tothe present invention the gate dielectric 123 is formed of a high-kmaterial, that is, it has a dielectric constant greater than 8, andpreferably in the range of about 8 to 40. The gate electrode 124 may beformed either of metal or of poly or of a combination of the two.Spacers 125 and 126 are positioned on either side of the gate structure122. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, semiconductor device 100 also includesa resistor 130 formed on the isolation structure 104 adjacent the corewell 102.

One process for fabricating a semiconductor device will now bedescribed. FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 200 offabricating a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. At START, it is presumed that the equipment andmaterials required for performance of the method are operational andavailable. The method then begins with providing a substrate (step 205).The substrate may be made of silicon or some other suitable material,and in a presently preferred embodiment the substrate is a siliconwafer. As the semiconductor device of the present invention includesmore than one component, one or more STI (shallow trench isolation)structures are then formed (step 207) in the substrate.

The STIs formed in step 207 in effect divide the substrate into separateareas, or wells. A sacrificial oxide layer is also formed along with theSTIs. An ion implantation is then performed (step 209) to impart to awell that underlies a core device, and another ion implantation (step211) to form a well that underlies an I/O device. An RTA (rapid thermalanneal) is then performed (step 213), for example at about 980-1100° C.for about 0-30 seconds. The sacrificial oxide layer formed during theSTI process (or, alternately, in a separate operation) is then removed(step 215).

An oxide layer is then formed on the I/O well (step 217), preferably bya growth process. This oxide is intended to form the gate oxide for theI/O device. It may also form on the core-device well, but, if so, thisportion of the oxide layer will be removed. A poly layer is then formed(step 219), and a hard mask layer is formed over the poly layer (step221). This hard mask may be a single layer, but preferably includes anoxide layer underlying a silicon nitride layer. The hard mask is thenpatterned (step 223), for example using a photolithography process. Thehard mask protects a portion of the poly layer disposed above the I/Owell so that a poly structure for an I/O device may next be formed (step225), for example using an etching process.

Ion implantation for the LDD (lightly-doped drain) portion or portionsof the I/O device may then be performed. In one embodiment, an NLDD ionimplantation (step 227) is performed to create shallow source and drainextensions for NMOS devices, for example at an energy of about 5-80 KeV,followed by an anneal process (step 229). The anneal may, for example,be at 600° C.-900° C. for a duration ranging from 20 to 120 minutes. APLDD ion implantation (step 231) may then be performed to create shallowsource and drain extensions for PMOS devices, for example of an energyof about 5-80 KeV. Naturally, those portions of the semiconductor devicethat are not to be doped in these steps must be protected, though theformation and removal of the various protection protective regions isnot shown separately here.

An oxide layer is then deposited (step 233) over the entire device,followed by a nitride layer (step 235). The nitride layer is then etched(step 237) so as to leave dummy (sacrificial) spacers on either side andon top of the I/O component.

In this embodiment, a recess is then formed in the core well, and an HFdip performed (step 239). Again, the necessary steps to protectnon-involved area of each process step are assumed and not hereseparately shown. An in-situ epitaxial growth process (step 241) is thenperformed to define, that is to grow in the recess just formed a channelregion having a silicon-germanium portion covered by a silicon portion.This creates a strained-silicon channel region for the core device. Alow-temperature oxide layer is then formed (step 243) and a selectiveion implantation is performed (step 245) to adjust the V_(t) (thresholdvoltage) of the core component. A spike RTA (rapid thermal anneal) maythen be performed as well (step 247) at, for example, about 980-102° C.The low-temperature oxide layer is then removed (step 249).

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, a high-k gate dielectric layer may then beformed for the core device (step 251), followed by forming a layer ofthe gate electrode material (step 253). A hard mask is then formed andpatterned (step 255), followed by an etching step to define the coredevice gate structure (step 257). A thin layer is then formed (step259), either out of a nitride only or out of oxide and nitride films. Ablanket etching (step 260) may then be performed to form protectivespacers for the core device gate area. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, thisis followed by formation of a thin oxide layer (step 261). A nitridelayer is then formed (step 263) over the core component and etched (step265) to form dummy, or sacrificial spacers. The source and drain regionsfor the core component are then formed (step 267), for example byetching a recess on either side of the core component gate structure andthen depositing a layer of silicon-germanium followed by a layer ofsilicon-carbon (steps not separately shown).

Once the core-component source and drain regions have been created, thedummy nitride spacers are removed (step 269) from both the corecomponent and the I/O component. The permanent spacer material is thendeposited (step 271) and etched (step 273) to form the permanentspacers. Note that the permanent spacers may include more than one layerof material, even though multiple layers are not separately shown here.Finally, ion implantation for the source regions and drain regions ofthe I/O and core device are performed (step 275), which of course mayinvolve several individual steps (not separately shown). The processthen continues with additional device fabrication steps, and ultimatelywith packaging and installing the final semiconductor device.

It is noted that the method 200 described above is only one embodimentof the present invention, and many variations are possible. In otherembodiments, certain of the operations recited above may be omitted, andothers added. In addition, the sequence set forth here may be varied,and the operations described may be performed in anylogically-consistent order unless a specific order is recited orapparent from the context.

Another embodiment of the present invention will now be described FIGS.5 a through 5 g are a sequence of side views illustrating incross-section the configuration of a semiconductor device 300 at variousselected stages of fabrication. In this embodiment, a wafer substrate301 is provided, preferable of silicon or some other suitable material.As should be apparent, semiconductor 300 device occupies only a smallportion of the substrate; in a typical application there would be manymore such devices being fabricated at the same time. A number ofisolation structures are formed in the substrate, and isolationstructures 304, 305, and 306 are visible in FIG. 5 a.

Using selective ion implantation, a core well 302 and an I/O well 303are created, separated in this case by isolation structure. Note thatthese features are similar or identical to certain features shown inFIG. 3. Where practicable, similar or identical features will benumbered analogously in FIGS. 5 a though 5 g. This does not imply,however, that there are no differences between analogously numberedfeatures. And as with FIG. 3, the features of FIGS. 5 a through 5 g arenot necessarily drawn to scale. An RTA may be performed at this time,and any sacrificial oxide layer (not shown) in place during ionimplantation may be removed.

In this embodiment, gate stack layers may now be formed. An oxide layer333 is grown on the I/O well. Such a layer (numbered 333 a) may also beseen in FIG. 5 b on the core well, although it will be later removed. Apoly layer 334 is formed over the oxide layers, and a hard mask layer335 is formed over the poly layer. In this embodiment, the hard masklayer 335 includes an oxide layer 336 and a nitride layer 337. In otherembodiments (not shown), the hard mask layer may consist one or morethan two layers. The hard mask layer 335 is then patterned, and used toform a gate stack 332 on the I/O well, including oxide portion 333′,poly portion 334′, and hard mask 335′. In this embodiment, a stack 331is also disposed on the isolation structure for the purpose of forming aresistor. Resistor stack at this point includes a poly portion 334″ anda hard mask portion 335″ consisting of oxide layer 336″ and nitridelayer 337″. The oxide layer previously formed over the core well may beremoved at this time, that is, at the same time that the gate stack 332on the I/O well 303 is formed. The gate stacks for the I/O device andthe resistor are shown in FIG. 5 c.

In this embodiment, an LDD implant is now performed for the I/O device.As should be apparent, when the LDD implantation is performed for theI/O device, the core well and other non-I/O portions of the device maybe protected, for example with photoresist structures. Note thatalthough only one core device and one I/O device are shown, there may beboth PMOS and NMOS devices formed on the wafer. In that case both anNLDD implantation and a PLDD implantation are performed in sequence. Ananneal process may then be performed, for example at about 600-900° C.for about 20-120 minutes.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 a through 5 g, a nitride layer 355 is thenformed and etched to create sacrificial spacers, for example of siliconnitride, for the existing structures. As shown in FIG. 5 d, an oxidelayer 350 may be formed prior to forming the nitride layer. With thisprotection in place, the core device channel may now be defined. Arecess is etched in the core well, the other relevant area now beingprotected, and an HF (hydrofluoric acid) dip is used to remove anyresidual material. The core device channel region may then be formed inthe recess by epitaxial growth, first of silicon-germanium, then ofsilicon, producing a strained silicon channel 348. A low temperatureoxide layer 353′ may then be deposited over the newly formed channel, asshown in FIG. 5 e. An ion implantation of the core region for adjustmentof the threshold voltage may then be performed, followed in thisembodiment by a spike RTA

In this embodiment, the exposed portions of oxide layer 350 and 350′ areremoved and a core device gate structure 360 is fabricated. A high-kgate dielectric 363 is formed and separates a gate electrode from thechannel 348, for example. The gate dielectric may, for example, be madeof, for example, HfO, HfON, SiON, which have dielectric constants in thepreferred range of about 8-40. The gate electrode 364 may be formed ofpoly or of a metal. A source region 347 and a drain region 349 are alsoformed, as shown in FIG. 5 f. In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 a through 5g, the source region 347 and the drain region 349 are formed by firstforming a recess, then using epitaxial growth of silicon-germaniumfollowed by silicon-carbon. The source region and the drain region bothexhibit a raised profile, meaning that at least at some point alongtheir upper boundary they are higher than the lower boundary of the gatestructure. Finally, the remaining dummy spacers and oxide layers areremoved, and permanent spacers 372 through 377 are formed, resulting inthe configuration shown in FIG. 5 g.

Although the present invention and its advantages have been described indetail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions andalterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, adifferent sequence of operations may be used, in some cases, and othermaterials may be substituted for those recited above.

Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to belimited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine,manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps describedin the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readilyappreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes,machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps,presently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantiallythe same function or achieve substantially the same result as thecorresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according tothe present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended toinclude within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture,compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.

1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising: forming a core well in a core region of a substrate and an I/O well in an I/O region of the substrate, the core well and the I/O well separated by an isolation structure; forming an I/O-device gate structure on the I/O well, the I/O-device gate structure comprising an I/O electrode disposed above an I/O dielectric, wherein the I/O dielectric does not include a high-k dielectric material; forming a strained-silicon channel in the core region, wherein the strained-silicon channel comprises a silicon layer disposed on a silicon germanium layer, the silicon germanium layer disposed between the silicon layer and the substrate; forming a core-device gate structure over the strained-silicon channel in the core well, the core-device gate structure comprising a core electrode disposed above a core dielectric, the core-device gate structure comprising a high-k dielectric material; and forming a source region and a drain region adjacent to the core-device gate structure and outside of the silicon germanium layer.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of performing an LDD ion implantation into the I/O well, and annealing the semiconductor device subsequent to the LDD ion implantation.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the semiconductor device comprises an n-type I/O well and a p-type I/O well, and wherein the LDD ion implantation comprises a p-type LDD ion implantation and an n-type LDD ion implantation.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the core dielectric has a dielectric constant of greater than about
 10. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the I/O dielectric is formed of silicon dioxide.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a resistor disposed on an isolation structure adjacent to the core well.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising forming a nitride layer over the I/O-device gate structure and the resister prior to forming the strained-silicon channel.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the strained-silicon channel further comprises: forming a channel recess in the core well; forming the silicon germanium layer in the channel recess by epitaxial growth; and forming the silicon layer by epitaxial growth.
 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising implanting ions into the core well for V_(t) (threshold voltage) adjustment.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the source region and the drain region further comprises: forming a source region recess and a drain region recess in the core well adjacent the core-device gate structure; forming a silicon-germanium layer in the source region recess and in the drain region recess by epitaxial growth; and forming a silicon-carbon layer over the silicon-germanium layer by epitaxial growth.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming sacrificial spacers along the core-device gate structure prior to the forming a source region recess and a drain region recess.
 12. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: forming an core region and an I/O region in a substrate: forming an I/O device in the I/O region, the I/O device comprising an I/O gate electrode overlying an I/O gate dielectric, wherein the I/O gate dielectric does not include a high-k dielectric; and forming a core device in the core region, the forming the core device comprising: forming a strained-silicon channel region, wherein the strained-silicon channel region comprises a multi-layer stack filling a recess disposed within the core region, wherein the multi-layer stack comprises a silicon layer disposed on a silicon germanium layer, the silicon germanium layer being disposed on the substrate; forming a core gate dielectric overlying the strained silicon channel region; forming a core gate electrode overlying the core gate dielectric; and forming a source region and a drain region formed outside of the strained-silicon channel region and formed on opposite sides of the core gate dielectric.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the forming the source region and the drain region further comprises: forming a source region recess and a drain region recess in the core well adjacent the core gate dielectric; forming a silicon-germanium layer in the source region recess and in the drain region recess by epitaxial growth; and forming a silicon-carbon layer over the silicon-germanium layer by epitaxial growth.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the forming the strained-silicon channel region further comprises: forming a channel recess in the core region; forming the silicon germanium layer in the channel recess by epitaxial growth; and forming the silicon layer by epitaxial growth.
 15. The method of claim 12, further comprising forming a resistor disposed on an isolation structure adjacent to the core region.
 16. The method of claim 12, wherein the core gate dielectric has a dielectric constant greater than about
 8. 17. The method of claim 12, further comprising performing an LDD ion implantation into the I/O region and annealing subsequent to the LDD ion implantation.
 18. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device on a substrate, comprising: forming a core well and an I/O well separated by at least one isolation structure; forming an I/O device gate structure in the I/O well; wherein the I/O device gate structure does not include a high-k dielectric; forming an LDD in the I/O well; forming dummy spacers to protect the I/O device; defining a core device channel, wherein the core device channel comprises a silicon layer over a silicon germanium layer, the silicon germanium layer disposed between the silicon layer and the substrate; forming a core device high-k gate dielectric; forming a core device gate electrode; forming a core device source region and a core device drain region, the core device source region and the core device drain region located outside of the core device channel; removing the dummy spacers; and forming spacers for the core device and the I/O device.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising adjusting a V_(t) of the core device channel by ion implantation.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the LDD in the I/O well is formed in the substrate. 